Berrettini hopes to kick-off special Sunday for Italy

Matteo Berrettini hopes to kick-off a special for Italy by beating Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final today before the national football team take on England in the final of Euro 2020.

Berrettini, 25, became the first Italian to reach the final at the major after powering his way past Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4 on Friday.

The main course may be England’s date with Italy at Wembley, but Berrettini will provide a tasty antipasti when he walks out on SW19’s Centre Court at 2pm (5pm UAE).

And Berrettini hopes he can provide the first half of what could prove to be a ‘Domenica speciale’, or special Sunday, for his home nation. “I think we deserve it. It’s great day, a great sport day. I’m really happy that together with football now we are one of the biggest sports in Italy,” he said.

“I would say buy a nice TV if you don’t have one already because I think it’s going to be a special Sunday for all of us.

“It’s something crazy to believe for us, obviously let’s say in tennis, because it never happened. So it’s something that nobody expected – me in the first place.

“Then for the football, I mean we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, so after that the job that they did, how hard they worked, the effort that they put, I think they really deserve this final.

“Obviously I’m going to think first about mine. Then, if I have the chance, I’m going to watch them.”

Standing in Berrettini’s way is world No 1 Djokovic who is chasing a third Wimbledon title in a row. A win would move him level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slams.

By contrast, Berrettini is in his first Slam final and bidding to be the first Italian man to claim a major title since Adriano Panatta at the 1976 French Open.